Delivering a blow to loyal customers
I ShALL have to say goodbye to Richard, my helpful Milk&More delivery man. The home delivery milk company has announced it will stop accepting cash and cheques (Mail). From January 1, it will only take online payments, direct debits or card payments over the phone. And prices will rise by 4p a pint for those who do not run an account online, which is outrageous. I do not have, want or can afford a computer — my attempts to use one in my local library have failed due to poor eyesight and arthritic fingers. I keep a close eye on my bank account, which is what you do when you don’t have much money, but I am not going to make things more difficult by adding another direct debit. I rarely make card payments over the phone because using the telephone is difficult for me. I had switched to glass bottles to be more environmentally friendly — so much for my good intentions.
A. A. BELLAMY, Darley Abbey, Derbys. I hAVe worked for Milk&More and am shocked at its ruthless approach to loyal customers who don’t have access to online payments. But that is only the half of it. All rounds have to finish by 7am, so that means starting at 11pm and leaving milk and other goods on doorsteps through the night in sometimes warm temperatures with the possibility of it being stolen or torn apart by animals. Once all orders are online, if you leave out a note cancelling your milk, we will have to leave it or take it back and still charge you. If you leave a note asking for an extra pint, we won’t be able to leave one as we used to do. It’s such a shame that elderly people who rely on the milkman, but who don’t have a computer, will have deliveries stopped.
Name and address supplied. TWeLVe years ago, my letter was printed in the Mail in support of having milk delivered. I said it would combat the supermarkets’ hold over milk producers and cut the use of single-use plastic bottles. It now appears that more people are signing up for milk deliveries, no doubt boosted by seeing the harm done to our oceans by plastic, so Milk&More feels it can risk alienating older customers. I have had a daily milk delivery for more than 30 years, but will cancel it as soon as my milkman tells me I can no longer pay by cash or cheque.
KIM LEWIS, Hucclecote, Glos. WheN we were advised by Milk&More that prices were going up by 4p per pint and we were required to register online, we cancelled our account after 30 years of deliveries. To our surprise, we are saving much more than 4p per pint by buying milk at the local corner shop.
BRIAN WEBB, Burgess Hill, W. Sussex.